Presenting my latest image of Centaurus A (NGC 5128), captured from my observatory under urban skies this May. Despite the glow of city lights, careful planning and processing brought this fascinating galaxy to life.
📸 Centaurus A is one of the most peculiar and energetic galaxies near us, sitting just over 12 million light-years away in the southern constellation Centaurus. Its standout feature? A supermassive black hole — around 55 million times the mass of our Sun — blasting out radio and X-ray jets across vast distances. The dark rift through its bright core is thought to be the shredded remains of a smaller galaxy it consumed in a cosmic merger.
This galaxy is a radio powerhouse, visible in multiple wavelengths, and offers a rare close-up view of how galaxies evolve through collisions and active galactic nuclei.
🧪 Technical Data:
- 🔭 Telescope: EdgeHD 8″ with Focal Reducer
- 📷 Camera: ASI2600mm Pro
- 🎛️ Filters: LRGB – 60 x 180s for each channel
- ☁️ Conditions: Moonless May nights between clouds
- 🖥️ Processing: Astro Pixel Processor, PixInsight, Photoshop
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